Searching Archives.com

We all know how much of a daunting task it can be to research ones genealogy. However, websites such as Archives.com is making it a little easier and enjoyable at the same time! Even though this post pertains to searching Newspaper articles, there are many other valuable pieces that one can find.

For me, I stumbled upon Archives.com when trying to break down some brick walls in my research. I enrolled for the 7 day free trial and started searching. When you log onto the website you will be presented with a series of text boxes; (i.e. Name, Date etc...). Make you that you click "Newspapers" in the drop down box on the left hand side of the webpage. After entering all the information that you know the results will begin populating. Now the fun begins, start by clicking on the image of the newspaper on the right had side of the screen. A larger "viewing" window will open with highlighted markers over your search field.

Once you have found an article that you wish to save, locate the pair of scissors located on the top bar. Next, find the toolbar on the left hand side of the screen, select the dotted line box, position it around the section of the article you are wanting and simply hit the scissor button again. A new box should open asking you if you want to open or save the intended file.

I have also learned that it is easier to find someones obituary by simply scrolling through the newspaper archives. I first tried using the "Obituary" selector however I was not having any luck getting searches to populate.

I have been finding tons an tons of information by using archives.com! There have already been a couple of family stories that I have been able to confirm by using the service! Some of the following images are clippings that I have found.

All in all, if you are a researcher of ancestry or genealogy I would highly recommend giving archives.com a try!

PBS' Genealogy Roadshow 2015 Experience

We have all had that fleeting thought when watching one of our favorite television shows; "I wonder if I could be on this show". Well, I like many, thought the same thing when watching PBS' Genealogy Roadshow. Relaxing and enjoying the show, one Sunday evening, I thought "I bet the experts would most certainly be able to break down some of the brick walls in my research." The following evening I was doing some research and found myself on their website where I applied to be on the show (thinking nothing of it). I returned to my research and quickly it all slipped my mind.

A couple of months later I receive a phone call from a weird number. Not like me, I answer. ITS GENEALOGY ROADSHOW! They tell me that they received the application and are interested in featuring my story on the 2015 season of the show. We scheduled a Skype interview and said good-bye. A couple of weeks later it was time for the interview. It went off without a hitch, never mind my nerves getting the best of me! (haha). The interviewee asked me a series of questions and then let me jump on my soap box and tell my story and why I should be picked to be one GENEALOGY ROADSHOW!

Hours turned into days and days into weeks, my pessimism was beginning to get the best of me "well, the story probably wasn't interesting enough." I kept telling myself. About the time that those thoughts were starting to pour into my head I recieved another phone call. "Hello, Cory?" "This is ___ with Genealogy Roadshow, I wanted to call you to let you know that the producers saw the interview tape and would love to have you on the show!". I was literally beside myself with excitement, was I seriously going to be ON a show that I normally enjoy from the comfort of my home? The answer, YES!

I was given a date to show up and begin filming. Another month or so went by and it was time to head to St.Louis, MO. for the taping of the show. With it being a Friday, family and friends were unable to attend with me, however my wife (my best friend) was by my side the entire time.

The location chosen for the show was the Historic St.Louis Library. After about a 2 hour drive, we were there! The butterflies were really starting to fly by this point. We entered the building and found our way to the wing in which the show was filming. The library itself was breathtaking, coming from a small town it is hard to fathom the abundance of material and space. We finally found ourselves in the wing of the library that they were filming it. Another story was being shot so we quietly sat down at a nearby table and waited patiently.

As I was sitting at the large over-sized wooden desk I was given the opportunity to "take it all in". Being able to watch the show being filmed was amazing! "These are the things I see on TV" - I kept telling myself! The library itself was awe-inspiring. Books upon Books! I couldn't help but look over my shoulder and imagine the opening library scene from Ghostbusters, so I quickly snapped this photo.

St.Louis Central Library - "Ghostbusters Shot"

Everyone on set was very friendly and polite and came up to introduce themselves to my wife and I. Needless to say it helped calm the nerves! It was my time to begin filming and it was everything and nothing of what I imagined. The lights, the cameras, and all the while having to ignore those key aspects of the show that no one ever sees, not to mention I was standing next to Kenyatta Berry! One of the expert genealogist on the roadshow.

It was truly a remarkable experience that I can't wait to share with the generations to follow.

About the Program

Part detective story, part emotional journey, Genealogy Roadshow combines history and science to uncover the fascinating stories of diverse Americans. Each individual’s past links to a larger community history, revealing the rich cultural tapestry of America.Genealogy Roadshow's premiere season featured participants from four American cities — Nashville, Detroit, San Francisco and Austin — who want to explore unverified genealogical claims, passed down through family history, that may (or may not) connect them to an event or a historical figure. These cities were chosen as American crossroads of culture, diversity, industry and history, with deep pools of potential participants and stories. After participants are chosen, experts in genealogy, history and DNA use family heirlooms, letters, pictures, historical documents and other clues to hunt down more information.These experts enlist the help of local historians to add color and context to the investigations, ensuring every artifact and every name becomes a clue in solving the mystery. Many answers will be revealed on camera before a local audience, in a historic building relevant to the cities’ — and the participants’ — histories. - http://www.pbs.org/program/genealogy-roadshow/

Good evening everyone!!! It has been quite some time!! Some of you may be asking yourself; "why hasn't there been any updates" and then again maybe you're not. However, the truth is that I have been very busy over the last several weeks taking care of my precious 8th month old little angle, Roslyn Ciara Kalber. I WOULD have been calling her an 8th Generation Kalber, up until a couple of weeks ago. Which leads me to the other item that has been taking up a large portion of my time...OUR GERMAN ROOTS! At times you want to SCREAM! However one must keep a clear head to sort through the multitude of documents you can stumble upon.

As of this weekend I am happy to announce that my daughter Roslyn is now, what I can call, a 10th Generation Kalber (kaelber) & quite possibly an 11th.

Our earliest German grandparents were Andreas Kaelber and Jakobina Stipp(en).

I KNOW.....THE INFORMATION IS SO EXCITING!!! (hahaha) Hey, I was excited!

Over the next few weeks and months I will be compiling some binders so I may be able to donate them to various genealogical libraries as well as fellow family members and researchers. Throughout this time I will also be trying to complete as many updates to the website as I can. In the meantime I want to thank every single one of you whom has taken the time out of your day to share stories and pictures with me. Don't worry, everything is saved and will be included into the overall collection.

Thank you again to everyone! I hope you all have a great evening and an upcoming week!

P.S. Let me know if there are any pieces of information in which you may be looking, I will see what I can do to help out! My only favor is that you return the gesture to someone.

And so it is, another weekend. Over the past few weeks I have been talking with new individuals, sharing stories, updating the website etc.... Yesterday evening I found myself sitting here, rather restless, thinking of the KALBER name and its German origins. I decided to take a stroll over to Ancestry.com and, for the first time, pay to access the "worldwide collection". What I began to find was rather interesting.

While working on this self proclaimed "research project", I was met with two variations of the last name - from the same family. As you may be aware Johann Christian Kaelber and Gottfried Kalber were brothers who immigrated to the States, with their families, at different times. I was under the impression that KALBER was the original German spelling that contained two accent dots above the "A". The English translation for such spelling is "AE". Leading me to believe that Johann Christian went with the correct translation while Gottfried kept the spelling, minus the accent. Declaration of Intention for Citizenship has Johann Christian & Gottfried both signing their names KALBER.

Fast forward to yesterday evening. While doing a simple search for Gottfried Kalber within the German records, NOTHING even close was generating. I changed my search terms to Gottfried KAELBER b. 19 Feb 1827. And there it was, titled "Germany, Select Births & Baptisms" - Johann Gottfried Kaelber was born 19 Feb 1827 in Sternenfels, Wurttemburg, Germany. His parents were .....Johann Jakob Kaelber and Johanna Regina Ekerdt.

Still after finding this record I was not satisfied. I have come to find that you must exhaust all possible avenues before feeling "good" about a possible outcome.

If this was OUR Gottfried then there must also be a birth record for Johann Christian as well. After a quick search, there it was. Titled the same as the above referenced document; Johann Christian Kaelber was born 1820 to Johann Jakob Kaelber and Johanna Regina Ekerdt. Around the time I found this I had also looked at another document for Johann Gottfried Kaelber and saw listed that one of the household members was also Johann Christian Kaelber.

This new information leads me to wonder if KAELBER is the ORIGINAL spelling of our last name and that Gottfried and his lineage changed it to KALBER. I will continue to research this and post what I find here.

IF this information is correct, there is a possibility that Johann and Gottfried also had a sister and possibly more siblings. Nothing concrete at the moment.

I welcome anyone and everyone to contact me with any information they may have.

Thank you to everyone who as taken part in this project. I look forward to talking and sharing information with all of you!

Along with the website, I have created a facebook page that can be found here. Unfortunately it is a "closed" group. If you would like to become a member of the group, simply send me a friend request and let me know. Also, once you are a member of the page, you will be able to invite people whom you think would be interested.

I look at this website as a collective. Even though I might have built it, I feel that we ALL own it. So if there are any stories, images, pictures or documents that you wish to see on here, please send them to me in an email to kalberfamilygenealogy.com. I try to give everyone credit for the contributions, however sometimes it slips my mind where the information came from. If you should happen to see a piece on here that I have forgot to credit, please let me know.

All in all, I feel very excited about this. The possibilities of tying the entire family genealogy together in 2014 would be amazing! I know that with your help it will happen!